Massage device



Patented Apr. 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAS SAGE DEVICE HenryG. Hilsher and Ruth S. Hilsher, Baltimore, Md.

Application December 16, 1949, Serial No. 133,306

Claims.

This invention relates to an improved manual massage device of theroller type, the primary object of the invention being to provide a moreefficient and practical device of this kind which affords substantiallygreater and more beneficial massage and manipulation of the bodysurfaces and the tissues and muscles underlying such surfaces and whichmore accurately follows the contours of the body.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specificembodiment of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Figure 2 is an end elevation.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 33 of Figure4.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, the illustrated devicecomprises a frame composed of two similar, longitudinally elongatedplate-like side members 5, 5 having central ears 6 on their upper edges,and having four equally longitudinally spaced projections I on theirlower edges. The side members 5 are rigidly and parallelly spaced andconnected together by rods 8 having threaded ends 9 traversing the sidemembers between the projections l, and spacing tabs 8 in the rods, withcap nuts 10 threaded on the rod ends against the outer sides of the sidemembers.

A hand pad I I in the form of a plane rectangular rigid plate havingrounded corners I2 is positioned above and extends between the frameside members 5 and extends between the opposite ends thereof and hascentral depending lugs I3 on its opposite side edges which lie along theinward sides of the ears 6. Pivots I4 traverse the ears 6 and the lugsI3 whereby the hand pad II is spaced upwardly from the side members andis free to rock relative thereto on an axis extending transversely ofthe device. Stop lugs I5 project from and depend from the opposite sideedges of the hand pad II near the ends thereof to engage the upper edgesI6 of the side members 5 to limit rocking of the hand pad II in oppositedirections.

The hand pad I I has slotted ears I! rising from the opposite sidesthereof over the ears 6 through which are secured the opposite ends ofan elastic 2 band I8 arranged to overlie and grip the back of the handof the masseur with the palm of the hand engaged with the top of thehand pad II, whereby the device is properly held in the hand formassaging portions of the body.

Four transverse rollers I9 are parallelly and equally spaced along andbetween the side members 5. Each roller I9 has an angulated axle I9having a concentric or axial end 29 projecting from one end and aneccentric end 2| projecting from its opposite end. The projections l onthe lower edges of the side members 5 have journal holes 22 located inthe same horizontal plane, in which the pintle ends 20 and 2| arejournaled. Alternate ones of the rollers are reversed in position sothat the concentric pintles 20 and cocentric pintles 2I of adjacentrollers are journaled in opposite ones of the side members whereby theadjacent rollers are pitched at opposite angles. As a result when thedevice is moved over a body surface the rollers I9 roll in contacttherewith at different angles. At the same time the frame of the deviceis free to rock relative to the hand pad II so as to follow the contoursof the body surface.

What is claimed is:

l. A massage device comprising a frame having spaced side members, ahand pad extending between said side members and pivoted to said frameto rock on a transverse axis relative to said frame, and a plurality oftransverse axis rollers extending transversely between said side membersbeneath said hand pad, said rollers having opposite ends thereofjournaled on said side members, adjacent ones of said rollers havingends thereof concentrically journaled on opposite ones of said sidemembers and having opposite ends thereof eccentrically journaled onopposite ones of said side members.

2. A massage device comprising a frame having spaced side members, ahand pad extending between said side members and pivoted to said frameto rock on a transverse axis relative to said frame, a plurality oftransverse axis rollers extending transversely between said side membersbeneath said hand pad, said rollers having opposite ends thereofjournaled on said side members, adjacent ones of said rollers havingends thereof concentrically journaled on opposite ones of said sidemembers and having opposite ends thereof eccentrically journaled onopposite ones of said side members, and a flexible strap extendingacross the middle of and above said hand pad and secured at oppositeends thereto.

3. A massage device comprising two parallelly spaced, longitudinallyelongated side plates, spacing means extending between and connectingsaid side plates together, a hand pad comprising a plate extending alongand between said side plates and having central lugs on opposite sidesthereof pivoted on upper portions of said side plates whereby said handpad can rock toward either end of said side plates, and a plurality ofparallelly spaced rollers positioned endwise between said side platesbeneath said hand pad, each of said rollers having projecting from theopposite ends thereof an eccentric pintle and a concentric pintlejournaled in journal holes provided in said side plates.

4. A massage device comprising two parallelly spaced, longitudinallyelongated side plates, spacing means extending between and connectingsaid side plates together, a hand pad comprising a plate extending alongand between said side plates and having central lugs on opposite sidesthereof pivoted on upper portions of said side plates whereby saidhand'pad'can rock toward eitherend of said side plates, and a pluralityof parallelly spaced rollers positioned endwise. be-

tween saids-ide plates beneath said hand pad, A

each of saidrollers havingprojecting from the opposite ends thereof aneccentric pintle and a concentric pintle journaled in journal holesprovided insaid side plates, adjacent ones of said rollersv having theireccentric and concentric 3 pintles--- journaled in journal holes ofdifferent ones of said side plates.

5. A massage device comprising two parallelly spaced, longitudinallyelongated side plates, spacing means extending between and connectingsaid side plates together, a hand pad comprising a plate extending alongand between said side plates and having central lugs on opposite sidesthereof pivoted on upper portions of said side plates whereby said handpad can rock toward either end of said side-plates, and a plurality ofparallelly" spaced rollers positioned endwise between said side platesbeneath said hand pad, each of said rollers having projecting from theopposite ends thereof an eccentric pintle and a concentric pintlejournaled in journal holes provided-in said side plates, said hand padplate having stop lugs depending from opposite end portions thereof forengagement with said side plates to limit rocking of said hand padrelative toisaid side plates in either direction.

HENRY G. HILSHE-R.

RUTH S. HILSHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file'ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,569,426 Krauthofi' Jan. 12,1926 1,630,911 Wentz May 31, 1927 1,697,080 Oppenheimer Jan. 1, 19292,121,250 Koschwitz Jan. 21, 1938

